Professor Kevin Mortimer, a respiratory medicine consultant at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, has defied a terminal prostate cancer diagnosis he received more than two years ago. At 48, Mortimer was told his cancer was incurable and that he had only a few years to live after scans revealed widespread tumours throughout his body.

The diagnosis came during his daughter’s 11th birthday, a day he initially chose not to disclose the severity of his condition to his family. The following morning, he informed his daughter of the prognosis, which he described as “serious,” though she responded with optimism. Despite the grim outlook, Mortimer committed to treatment with a new combination therapy that has significantly improved outcomes for men with advanced prostate cancer.

Since 2023, a treatment regime referred to as triple therapy has become available on the NHS for patients with advanced prostate cancer. This approach combines chemotherapy, a drug to suppress testosterone production, and a hormone therapy drug called darolutamide, which blocks cancer cells from utilizing testosterone, a hormone that promotes tumour growth. Early expectations suggested this therapy would extend survival by about four years.

Mortimer reported that the initial phase of treatment caused severe pain and limited mobility, but subsequent tests showed a rapid and dramatic decline in his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels—a key marker used to monitor prostate cancer progression. Starting with a PSA level above 600, Mortimer’s levels dropped close to zero within months, indicating a substantial reduction in tumour activity. Within half a year, he was back at work part-time and later completed a half-marathon.

Researchers have identified a subset of patients classified as “super-responders” to the triple therapy, typically younger and fitter men like Mortimer. Amy Rylance, director of health services at Prostate Cancer UK, estimates that nearly 45% of men experience this strong positive response. Meanwhile, cancer researcher Professor Gert Attard of University College London noted ongoing trials investigating whether darolutamide alone could replace chemotherapy in some cases, potentially reducing treatment side effects.

Advances in treatment have markedly improved survival for prostate cancer patients over the past two decades. Attard highlighted that survival rates have increased from an average of two years to about 40% of patients on darolutamide living and remaining healthy 12 years after treatment.

Despite these gains, experts emphasize disparities in treatment access. Rylance pointed out variation in hormone therapy administration across hospitals, with some treating fewer than half of eligible patients. She stressed the importance of wider availability of effective drugs to help more men achieve remission.

Three months ago, Mortimer was declared cancer-free. He remains vigilant about the possibility of recurrence, which occurs in roughly one-third of cases, but maintains a positive outlook. Reflecting on his experience, Mortimer said his priorities were to return to his medical practice and see his daughter graduate from university. Having resumed work, he holds firm to his belief that he will also witness his daughter’s milestone.